Penela Castle is located on a hill and dominates the small town Penela. During the Reconquista the castle was of great strategic importance, and played the role of fortress protecting Coimbra. Penela Castle, as well as other famous Castle of Montemor-o-Velho, is an excellent example of defensive structures, which were built at the time.

The fortress covers an area of ​​about 1, 23 acres and has the shape of an irregular polygon. The architecture combines wonderfully gothic and Romanesque styles. During its existence the major construction work at the castle held twice. The first time - in the XIV century, when it built a new ring of walls with twelve towers. Unfortunately, only four towers have survived to our times. And following additions have been made in the XV century - it was built and rebuilt Clock Tower dungeon. The height of the walls of the fortress varies from 7 to 19 meters.

It is assumed that the place where the castle was erected, was previously inhabited Romanesque tribes who built a watchtower for what watch the road connecting the city of Merida, Conimbriga and Braga. However, no substantial evidence of such a hypothesis, as well as the fact that this fortification was built during the time of occupation of the Muslims in the XII century the Iberian Peninsula.

The fortress, which we see today was built between the XIV-XVI centuries. In addition to the main gate, the other two survived gates of the fortress - the Porta da Vila (XV century) and the Porta da Trayshao. As fortification fortress served until the XVIII century. The great earthquake in 1755 destroyed the keep and one gate. A little later, the keep was restored.

To the twentieth century old fortress has come to a complete standstill. The destruction of this magnitude historical monument has attracted the attention of the public and in 1910 the castle was listed as a monument of national importance.